St. Paul daily globe., 1887-04-30
Judge Benedict's Property Causes q
Fight at the Bedside of His
Dying Widow.
'ecial Correspondence of the Globe.


TO sell more apples and sell 'em easier at 25
cents pound than l can now at cents,
and the apples cost more freight than they
ever did. So OF nearly everything. There
IS more kicking at prices and fuss over a
nickel than L ever saw before. We used to
have good town in Rapid" continued he
mournfully; money plenty and free,
everybody we'll healed and no questions
asked about cost and prices. l am telling
you the railroad is curse to any place."
Talk with tradeSmen in other lines runs
In a similar vein. So far as concerns prices,
there has undoubtedly been heavy cut.
Flour that last June sold for $2.75 the 100
weight now sells at S1.75, and less to ''shop-
pers." Granulated sugar year ago retailed
at two pounds for quarter-now twelve
pounds for dollar. Competition has done
it. For years there was only one flour and
feed commission house here;now there are
seven or eight. So long as there was no
railroad nearer than 100 miles, people didn't
rush in. The mule-train and bull train
acted as protective tariff to those who
were not afraid to come to the 'front.' The
bulk OF business has greatly increased sin ce
this became railroad terminus, and the
trade law has become operative that the
price per unit must hold an inverse ratio to
eh0 Uulh VI tfStliSdctlOIlS.
WANT CHEAPER GOODS.
L rode down from Deadwood in the stage
with three drummers, the other day, and
they agreed that the constant tendency of
Black Hills orders is towards cheaper goods
In their lines-boots, flour and druggists
goods; tendency, they reported, that all
other lines felt; and one that was less felt
as they worked away from the railroad
They attributed it to the wave of new
comers who have been accustomed to low
prices (of wages as well as goods, small
economies and close buying. This infu-
ence was already noticeable in Deadwood.
Lead City dealers have told the same stOI
although that is a mining town, least
likely to feel the effects of that influx or
give way to new commercial standards.
ALL this makes old timers more and more
long for old times, lose their love for the
new town and turn their eyes westward
no! to some place not so tame. Some
have gone and plenty of tender
feet are ready to speed their parting and
take their places in business. society and
politics. The local political revolution here
last fall was largely aided by prescription
OF newcomers and monopoly of honors by
Republicans aud the sagacity of the Demo-
Gratis in putting several new men and Young
men on their ticket. The attempted boy
colt OF the Electric Light company and the
rnmD councils desperate assault OIL the
water commission were largely issues of
these classes with the results generally IA
vorable to the newer element. Society and
church matters have been much influenced
i'll the same way the past winter. Indeed
Rapid City is made anew in many of its
notable characteristics within a twelve
month. But if growing close-fisted and
puritahical, as charged, it certainly is not
less enterprsing.
"A MINISTERIAL CRISIS
in the school of mines has taken place. re-
sulting in the discharge of Profs. Davis and
Hughes, and permanent engagement of
Dean Carpenter and Prof. Jensen. The
unpublished inside history of the Intrigue is
that Prof. Davis, who was discovered by
Carpenter and brought here from Virginia,
undertook to get Carpenters place at the
head of the institution, secured two of the
five trustees, thought he had more, and was
so ''fresh' as to offer his coincidence to Car
penter in advance of the decision, giving
the dean notice, and his friends, who are
strong here, chance to hedge. ut is
sport to see the engineer hoist with his
own petard." The school term closed last
Friday. The neurological survey of the
Black Hills will be begun by Carpenter and
corps as soon as the vertebIal column of
HENS undergOeS lesion. Special attention
is to be directed to the unknown district.
This is a large undevelOped tract of mineral
land in the heart OF Pennington county. 1t
is in the core of the uplift. but, owing to its
inaccessibility and the overshadowing in
terest of other large deposits, it has been
but little explored and not at all tested.
Prospectors who have hammered in it tell
large stories of its hidden wealth. The
tract will be traversed by two of the pro-
posed narrOw-gauge railroads from this
point, and if the exploration discloses any,
thing good, there will be lively times in
there. OF those same narrew-gauges it is
authoritatively stated that the funds are
ready as soon as suitable terminal and
bonus aid is given by Rapid City. There
are fresh indications, also, that the Elk
horn line is to be extended towards
Wyoming this summers SO that times will be
lively in the Hills.
DID NOT GET THERE.
At the first fire that has occurred i'm this
town since the water supply was obtained
and the fire department organized, the
burning of Pettlt's commission house, last
week, neither the water nor the depart.
ment was on hand. 1t is variously attrib-
uted to lack of fire alarm, mud and dis
tance. but af best it reveals to the town
painful sense Of insecurity. The truth is
that there is no excuse that would be ac-
cepted for this dereliction in a well regu-
lated fire department.. The department
has always complained of its apparatus,
and more than once threatened to iisband
if new outfits were not furnished. AS the
apparatus was bought only wear AGO IL
has been rather difficult persuading the city
to throw it aside.
A SENSATIONAL EPISODE.
A ripple of excitement was occasioned
by an investigation in the probate court of
Pennington county into the disappearance
of the valuabes of Mrs. Benedict, who died
so suddenly last week. She was the widow
of ex-Probate Judge Benedict, of this
county. who died so suddenly and nvsteri-
Ously in Iowa, last january. After her
death it was found that her house had been
ritled of bonds notes and jewelry. The eyi-
dence disclosed the occurrence OF. a sonab-
BILE between her brother, named s.Dman.
and her neice, for the possession of her
keys. and fierce encounter at the bedside
of the dying woman, in which he Violently
wrested the keys from the woman and
cached the property He was finally made
to disgorge about $700. He is also sus-
pected of attempting to forge a Will in his
own favor. an incomplete document of that
nature having been found. The neice mas
sued him for the assault at the death
had Rpfora kJro p diad &Lz..